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“Met Éireann have told me it is going to be like this for another two weeks. We might need to get used to having seasons in Ireland. ”

Thunderstorms

Met Éireann forecaster John Eagleton said it does not do weather models that far out, but all the indicators are for the bright sunny conditions to continue until next Wednesday week at the earliest.

Mr Eagleton said the hot weather might set off a few thunderstorms on Sunday, but the early days of next week are looking very good for the start of July with 24 degrees in many places.

Coming home at the end of day, to Howth. Photograph: Francis Chambers

“Once you get the good weather, it is hard to shift it,” he said. “This is a heatwave, Irish style. In many countries a heatwave is something to be feared. In Greece, people die. In Ireland, it is something to be enjoyed.”

Unbroken sunshine

He cautioned, however, that it is a long way to go before the summer can be compared with that of 1995, when Ireland basked in six weeks of unbroken sunshine.

Participants in the Great Western Lakes cycling sportive on the top of Maamtrasna. Photograph: Eimear Flannery

The only cloud on the horizon is the absence of any clouds on the horizon. Irish Water has warned that water levels in rivers and lakes are dropping significantly and drought conditions could be similar to those experienced in 1976.

Water levels have become most acute in the greater Dublin area. The public are being encouraged to take steps to reduce water usage. These include not using a hose to water the garden or cars and taking showers rather than baths.